ON INTRODUCED ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 85 



Towards the close of the reign of Ptolemy Philometor, the Jews 

 under Onias, sought and obtained a grant of the temple of Bubastis for 

 a place of religious worship. 



In " B. C. 146," the accession of Ptolemy VII., or Ptolemy Physcon, 

 took place. During his reign, additions were made to the temples 

 at Dakkeh in Nubia, at Philae, Ombos, and Edfu ; he built the small 

 temple of Thoth at Medinet-Habu ; and his name in hieroglyphic 

 characters has also been found on restorations in the Asasif, and on 

 the temple of Athyr at Thebes. A petition addressed to him in Greek 

 by the priests at Philae, has afforded the means of verifying hierogly- 

 phic interpretations derived from the Rosetta Stone. One of his pro- 

 vincial governors was a Roman. 



The AAYS20N of Antonius and others, according to the description 

 by Dioscorides, would seem to be a species of Biscutella. — The B. apula 

 was seen in Greece by Sibthorp, and was received from Egypt by 

 Jussieu. The B. depressa was seen by Delile, growing spontaneously 

 at Alexandria. 



In Egypt, the taro (Colocasia esculenta) is called " kolgas ;" in 

 which word we recognise the koaokazia of Glaucias, Virgil, Columella, 

 Claudius Iolaus, and Pliny xxi. 102. 



Certain Indian weeds appear to have accompanied the culture of 

 taro and rice into Egypt ; and being inconspicuous objects, may have 

 been overlooked by the ancient writers : as, the Sphenoclea ; the 

 Splicer anthus ; a species of Grangea ; the Eclipta erecta ; the Eihulia 

 conyzoldes ; the Jussicea diffusa; the Ottelia alismoides ; the Elatine 

 verticillata ; the Ammania auriculata and A. JEgyptiaca ; the Cyperus 

 alopecurus and C. dives ; and the Panicum colonum ; all seen by Delile 

 in the rice-grounds of Egypt. 



In " B. C. 117," the accession of Ptolemy VIII., or Ptolemy Lathy- 

 rus, took place. His name in hieroglyphic characters has been found on 

 a propylon at Koos ; on the temples at Ombos and Edfu ; and on that 

 of Athyr at Thebes : he made some extensive restorations at Medinet- 

 Habu, with materials derived from Pharaonic ruins. 



The CHiENOPADAS of Lucilius, Pliny, and Macrobius, may be com- 

 pared with the species of Clienopodium. — The C. rubrum was seen 

 by Sibthorp at Constantinople ; and by Forskal, growing spontaneously 

 at Cairo. The C. album was seen by Sibthorp in Greece ; and by 

 Forskal and Delile, growing spontaneously at Cairo. The C. rnurale 

 was seen by Sibthorp at Constantinople ; and by Delile, growing spon- 

 taneously at Cairo. 



